Aussie young guns set for Commonwealth Games with some notable omissions

Australia has put their faith in youth naming a young squad for the Birmingham Commonwealth games, with 23 of the 34 riders selected set to make their national team debut at the quadrennial event.

Chloe Hosking of Australia celebrates victory in the Women's Road Race at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Credit: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

AusCycling has opted for a squad that highlights the next generation of cycling across road, track and mountain bike, with 23 of the 34-strong squad making their Commonwealth Games debut at Birmingham 2022.

The road team brings a sprint-heavy focus for the men’s road race, with Caleb Ewan, Michael Matthews and Kaden Groves all sprinters in their own right and all selected in just a five man squad alongside Rohan Dennis and Miles Scotson.

Scotson is the only rider with extended experience in a leadout role with French squad Groupama-FDJ, although Michael Matthews was able to turn his hand to the job when leading out BikeExchange-Jayco teammate Kaden Groves for a stage victory at Paris-Nice earlier in the season.

However, Ewan, the winner of five individual stages in the Tour de France, the aptly nicknamed “Pocket Rocket”, will enter as the man likely to be the sprinter delivered to the dash to the finish, with the explosive sprinter heading to his second Commonwealth Games after debuting in Glasgow in 2014.

The route for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games road race.

The women’s road team has a much more rounded approach that has seen Australia’s highest-credentialled sprinter Chloe Hosking excluded from the team. The defending champion from 2018 on the Gold Coast is without a win so far in 2022, but with her pedigree in fast finishes and as defending champion her non-selection has raised eyebrows.

SBS Sport raised the question around Hosking’s non-selection with Executive General Manager of Performance for AusCycling, Jesse Korf, replying.

“The women on the road have stepped up significantly this year with a number of riders performing exceptionally well in sprint and lead-out roles in recent months,” said Korf. “This level of internal competition is great for Australian cycling and the road women in particular. The selection was made on performance results in that particular role, and we are excited to have Alex Manly, Georgia Baker and Ruby Roseman-Gannon joining the team to race for Australia.”

Instead, a strong all-around team will represent the green and gold with Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman, Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Sarah Roy and an in-form Alexandra Manly have been selected with Roseman-Gannon the fastest on paper, but Manly and Roy also boasting rapid finishes.

Georgia Baker was also announced as part of the track squad, but Korf's answer to SBS Sport's query suggests that she will cross over to the road as well. The same thing will also likely apply for Baker's partner, Luke Plapp, in the men's.

Alexandra Manly, 26, originally from Kalgoorlie, spoke of the honour of being part of the Australian women’s road team after debuting on the Gold Coast four years ago on the track and taking gold in the women’s team pursuit.

“It’s an honour to be selected in the Australian Team for the Birmingham Games. It came as surprise, but I am very excited about the opportunity,” Manly said. “Winning gold in the team pursuit at the Gold Coast Games will always be one of my fondest memories. To be selected in my second games is super special and this is my first Australian road team I’ve been selected in.”

On the theme of notable omissions, the biggest name not in the team is World Cup MTB leader Rebecca McConnell, with the bronze medallist in the 2014 Commonwealth Games opting out with her focus on remaining at the top of the World Cup standings.

‘’The Commonwealth Games are wedged between two North American World Cups,” said Korf of McConnell not participating in the Games. “Due to Bec’s exceptional riding, she is placed first in the overall World Cup classification and this presents a conflict of schedule.

“Bec loves to represent the green and gold and we are proud to see her perform at such a high level. Competing in the Commonwealth Games, however, would mean missing a World Cup and risking her standing in the World Cup overall. So for that reason, she indicated she would forego nomination.

“We are supportive of the decision given the opportunity she has, a look forward to seeing her in the green and gold in future world championships and games.”

In her stead, 21-year-old Zoe Cuthbert will make her Commonwealth Games debut.

Rebecca McConnell’s husband Dan McConnell will line in the men’s event alongside 21-year-old Sam Fox, a mix of experience and youth looking to break Australia’s drought on the top step of the Commonwealth Games podium in MTB.

After the Tokyo Olympics showed the efforts of five years of preparation towards one event, it was natural that there was going to be a lot of turnover in the next few seasons. A new-look Australian team featuring up-and-coming stars of the sport will feature on the boards in Birmingham.

The two youngest members of the Olympic team, Luke Plapp and Maeve Plouffe, will take on roles as the some of the most experienced members of the squad as they lead the endurance teams under the new overall leadership of coach Brett Aitken.

Plouffe recently won a gold medal at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Canada and is confident of further improvement for her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham.

Plapp has been mostly concentrated on his neo-professional road season for INEOS Grenadiers, but the team regularly supports riders with dual ambitions in the velodrome and on the road, so it would be little surprise to see the reigning national road race champion a dominant part of the Australian endurance team.

The respected figure of senior sprinter Matthew Glaetzer is aiming for a hat-trick of Commonwealth Games gold medals in the Keirin after success at Glasgow in 2014 and the Gold Coast four years ago.

The 29-year-old sprinter, who has overcome thyroid cancer to return to international racing, also won the one-kilometre time trial on the Gold Coast. After winning the Keirin at the Australian Championships three months ago, he said he was still feeling some discomfort but looking forward to peaking in Birmingham.

“It doesn’t feel like I am at my best yet. I’m in a lot of pain all the time, but I am going fast, so I can’t complain,” Glaetzer said. “This is really just the first competition as I’m building into the season, so it is very encouraging to have such strong results very early.”

Heading a small contingent of paracyclists in Birmingham will be Jessica Gallagher, with the former netballer, alpine skier and runner the only athlete to have won medals at the Winter and Summer Olympics.

She also has history at the Commonwealth Games, finishing second in the women’s Tandem 1000m Time Trial and Tandem Sprint events at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

“It’s incredibly exciting,” said Gallagher. “When I made the decision to return to cycling it was for the opportunity to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games. I’ve been extremely fortunate to find a wonderful tandem pilot, Caitlin Ward and be able to return to an environment with our coaching and support staff that has been so supportive.

“Being selected to represent Australia, like any athlete is a pinnacle of your career. It’s a reflection of the hard work and dedication to showcase what can be achieved.”

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from Thursday 28 July to Monday 8 August. The Track Cycling events are to take place at Lee Valley Velopark in London from Friday 29 July through to Monday 1 August.

The Mountain Bike events are to take place at Cannock Chase Forest on Thursday 3 August, the Road Time Trial event will take place at West Park, Wolverhampton Thursday 4 August, and the Road Race event will take place at St Nicholas Park, Warwick on Sunday 7 August.

MTB

Zoe Cuthbert.

Daniel McConnell, Sam Fox.

Road

Caleb Ewan, Michael Matthews, Rohan Dennis, Kaden Groves, Miles Scotson.

Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman, Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Alex Manly, Sarah Roy.

Track

Beau Wooton, Luke Zaccaria, Luke Plapp, Josh Duffy, James Moriarty, Graeme Frislie, Conor Leahy, Matthew Richardson, Matthew Glaetzer, Tom Cornish, Leigh Hoffman.

Jessica Gallagher, Caitlin Ward, Maeve Plouffe, Georgia Baker, Alyssa Polites, Sophie Edwards, Chloe Moran, Kristina Clonan, Breanna Hargrave, Alessia McCaig.